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Tiny Boxes - Encouragement Café - December 20, 2017

Tiny Boxes

By Paris Renae

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1 NIV

When I was nine, Christmas was magical. Not being raised in a Christian home, I didn’t know much about Jesus, but like any child, I loved twinkly trees and candy canes – and gifts all wrapped up.

That Christmas I’m sure I received what most girls my age would like but there was one gift I still have.

In my stocking, in a tiny box, was a gold ring with delicate filigree surrounding a shiny red ruby. I wore it until I got married and it is safely tucked away to this day.

My mom said she got it for me so I could tell my left hand from my right – something that mystified me back then.

The significance of good things in a tiny box was not lost on me. Each year, with my own children, I try to tuck away something special in a small box in their stocking.

Nothing as extravagant as a gold ring – but the stockings are the most looked forward to part of Christmas even as they are now adults.

Can you imagine tucking in a tiny package the biggest gift ever given? How do you put the Savior of the world in a young woman’s womb, have Him come forth for all to see as a tiny baby, and then place Him in a small feeding trough.

How can the God who created all the universes, who cannot be contained, be made the gift?

We have lost our Christmas awe to Santa and shopping and scurrying. Oh how our Immanuel wants us to marvel at the mystery of God becoming flesh – and for only one reason:  to make a way for us to be with Him forever. 

Jesus died and then gave us the Holy Spirit as a deposit in our hearts that will never leave us – God with us.

I won’t be able to take the gold ring with me when my days on earth are done, but the gift of salvation, of being with God forever, that is mine for eternity.

Do you have this gift? It is yours for the taking. How? Just open your heart and He will do the rest.

Oh, Father, You are the best gift giver ever. And the gift never gets tarnished, or boring, or lost. In fact, the more we cherish it the more special it becomes. Show us how to share this gift during this Christmas season. Restore our awe. Thank You for the amazing act of forever love. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

© 2017 by Paris Renae, All rights reserved.

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